CEO’s message: ‘Use the gifts and talents you are blessed with to make the world a better place’

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Sunday, April 10, 2016 | 2 a.m.

What does your organization do? Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada offers 20 diverse programs designed to give hope and transform the lives of our most vulnerable and at-risk community members.

Who are your clients? They could be the person next door or someone living on the streets; we help anyone in a vulnerable state in our community, regardless of race, religion or creed.

When was your organization established? The Catholic Welfare Bureau, known today as Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, was established in 1941 to address growing concern for people in need of social services in the southern portion of the state.

What services do you offer that the community likely knows about? Our emergency shelter for homeless men is open every day of the year for those who have nowhere else to go, as is our day shelter for men, although our funding covers only the summer months.

Some in the community also know us for our dining facility. We have been serving a free meal daily at the St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility since 1965. All are welcome with no questions asked.

What services do you offer that the community might not know about? Catholic Charities operates Meals on Wheels, the only home-delivered free meal program for seniors in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas. We recently increased our capacity from 1,400 to 2,000 homebound isolated seniors each day. We deliver a week’s worth of nutritionally balanced meals, fresh fruit and milk; provide case management and medical nutrition therapy; and bring pet food for our clients’ companions. The delivery driver makes a wellness check-up during each visit. Our grant funding covers 60 percent of the cost, leaving Catholic Charities to cover the shortfall.

Some may not know that Catholic Charities is the state agency for refugee resettlement in Nevada. We have helped more than 2,200 refugees fleeing persecution resettle here. Through the first five years that they live in America, we offer services to help them start their lives over. We pick them up from the airport; help them with housing, furniture and household items for their new apartment; and help them assimilate to American culture with English instruction and employment services. Our goal is to help them become self-sufficient in the shortest time possible.

How did you become involved with Catholic Charities? After 25-plus years in the gaming/hospitality/real estate sector, I came to Catholic Charities unexpectedly after the death of CEO Monsignor Pat Leary in late 2012. I started here as a volunteer transition administrator, asked by the Roman Catholic bishop of Las Vegas to assist with the void of leadership due to Leary’s unexpected passing. I was asked by the bishop and board of trustees to stay as full-time CEO. I was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church in 2011.

The gift of service at Catholic Charities allows me to help fulfill my ministry of service to God’s less fortunate. As Pope Francis says the church is in the “battlefield” of providing hope and help to the vulnerable, we live that mission every day at Catholic Charities.

What can people do to help your organization? We always need household goods, clothes and toiletry items, as we house more than 500 men nightly in our evening shelter and help families transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Even something as simple as a pair of socks can be a major help. Items also can be dropped off seven days a week at our campus.

There is no donation too small.

What can Southern Nevadans do to improve our community in general? Use the gifts and talents you are blessed with to make the world a better place.

Whom do you admire and why? I would say Pope Francis for his simplicity, sincerity and inclusiveness. He is a living example of making a difference with mercy, dignity and compassion.

How do you motivate people to get involved? We can all make a difference helping others to see that we are all responsible for our brothers and sisters in need. It’s not really charity; it’s simply sharing the gifts and blessings that we’ve been given with others.

Where do you see your organization in five years? I see our agency growing to meet the continuing needs of our clients. I anticipate that our programs and services will continue to grow by about 15 to 20 percent every year, or by another 20,000 clients annually. We will continue to be the safety net to welcome all those who need help and hope, to move them to a better place: to independence and self-sufficiency. We will continue to be the advocates to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves — the voiceless, the indigent, those who live in the shadows of our community.

If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be? One challenge as we move forward is to address the underlying causes of chronic homelessness, hunger and unemployment. Addressing the systemic issues of mental health and addictions will help break the cycle of need for our interim services of food, shelter and support.